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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26518345">EVERYONE SMILE</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ghost0/pseuds/Ghost0'>Ghost0</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Boys Go To War [5]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>DCU (Comics), The Boys (TV 2019)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Multi</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 04:02:13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,178</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26518345</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ghost0/pseuds/Ghost0</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Turns out, letting loose a little bit does kill Black Noir! Queen Maeve runs into Starlight and Hughie as they track down the same new gang boss, who is not at all what they were expecting.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Boys Go To War [5]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1920046</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>16</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>EVERYONE SMILE</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>(The Past)<br/>Kimiko peeked her head around the corner. She tried to spy for any guards on their patrol. Feeling safe, she rushed down the hall, trying to find the right room. She peeked her head through a few of them, searching. Finally, she came across the right one. But unfortunately, it still had someone inside, must be working a late night. She turned her head around and saw an almost empty storage room. Going in there, she managed to find a way to reach the ceiling and into the air vent system. Just barely managing to fit inside, she looked around her and found the route. Crawling inch by inch, she looked down and saw that she was right above the room. Carefully, she picked up the opening and made sure it didn’t make any noise as she placed it down. Then, she silently and quickly went into action.</p><p>Jumping down right behind the man, she had her rag handy and place it over the guard’s mouth as he was eating his late night dinner. He struggled at first, reaching for her and her hand at the same time. But he quickly lost consciousness and slumped over onto the table. Part of her really wanted to make sure he would never wake up. But she closed her eyes, remembering the phrase that he taught her. Justice, not vengeance. Opening her eyes again, she walked to the door and opened it. Then Batman walked in, heading straight for the computer system. Sitting down, he put his thumb drive into the system and began searching. Kimiko kept watch, looking out into the hallway. She saw a bunch of files and words pop up on the screen, unable to read pretty much any of it. But she did recognize one thing that popped up in his search.</p><p>An image of her. The woman who killed her brother, but not before she destroyed his hands and made him feel powerless in his final moments. Her nostrils flared, her heat rate picked up. Thankfully, the image didn’t stay on screen for long. After it disappeared, Batman pulled the drive out of the system and stood up. Looking over at her, he signaled that he would be leading them out. Stepping out, they turned and walked down the hallway. As they were making their first turn, they came face to face with a guard. Reacting before he could have time to process that there were intruders, Batman moved forward, wrapping his arm around the guard’s neck. Covering his mouth, he applied pressure. Kimiko stepped out of the way, so that he couldn’t get a good look at her face. He struggled, a little longer than when she used Chloroform on the previous guy. But he passed out on the ground all the same. They located the way they came in and disappeared from the building.</p><p>******</p><p>(The Present)<br/>“Vought has been increasing their efforts to control what I do. How exactly I conduct myself and how I go about protecting the good people of this country!” A young teenager sat on the steps outside of his apartment building, watching the video Homelander’s page had posted just a few minutes ago. “For many years, I have trusted them and followed their lead in every situation. But after Compound V, after their cover up and manipulation of one of my former teammates, I say enough! It’s time that I start listening to the people that I’m supposed to protect!”</p><p>This was different from how they usually hear him speak. Almost seems alienating in a way, to see him speak with such anger in his voice. At least, for this teen on the stairs. But he feels something genuine and raw that isn’t unfamiliar with how he feels sometime. Homelander had taken a pause, looking right at the camera almost as though he was speaking right to the watcher. “Vought thinks I can’t make decisions for myself. But I know that as long as I am listening to YOU, I will be making the right choice.”</p><p>The teen looked up in shock as he heard glass breaking and some guy fall from the second floor of the building across from him. He saw him try to land on his feet, except one of the bones in his leg was now poking its way outside the body. Standing up, he went back inside his own building and called for the police. He doesn’t know that there is an arrest warrant for the man bleeding on the sidewalk. Meanwhile, back on the second floor inside the building across the street, his fellow gang bangers were shooting in self-defense. Queen Maeve felt the bullets hit her body and fall to the ground, moving furiously and punching everyone she could grab onto. Pushing one up against the wall, she punched him over and over, just barely getting ahold of herself. Fearing that if she hit him one more time, that would be the final blow.</p><p>She let him go, sliding onto the floor. Looking around her, she tried to find one still conscious. She needed one of them to talk. For days, she had been tracking down members from the same gang, slowly working her way around town until she could find the head boss. Reaching down, she grabbed one kid by the collar of his shirt and held him up. Nose bled from his nose and mouth, trying to open the one good eye to stare back at her.</p><p>“Tell me where your boss is.” She demanded. </p><p>“Just kill me, bitch.” He spat blood on her face. Maeve closed her eyes just before he did. Opening them back up, she threw him down on the table they had been using to play poker. Grabbing one of his arms, she twisted until he started yelling out loud. No doubt catching the attention of whoever may be outside. </p><p>“I could twist this right off you know. Then you would have a bloody stump. I don’t imagine your boss would find any use in someone who only has one arm. So save me the fucking time and just tell me.”</p><p>He gave her the address of a building that had been abandoned for a while that their boss has been hiding out in. Letting him go, she found a way to rush out of the building and into a back alleyway. She slowed down to a walk, breathing heavily and deep in thought. A memory flashback back at Vought, with Homelander trying to ‘talk sense into her’ as he would no doubt put it.</p><p>“I think you’re just overreacting here Maeve.” He said. “The narrative has been formed in our favor, eventually this whole thing will fade into the background.”</p><p>“This whole THING?” Maeve was stunned to hear him be so casual. “He was one of us! You just killed him in front of the ENTIRE WORLD! Have you lost your fucking mind?!”</p><p>“Watch your tone.” He held up one finger and glared at her. “You wouldn’t want the same thing to happen to you now, would you?”<br/>It might have been a little too quick to give her such a threat. Especially to someone he seemed to like around. But it had been said, allowing Maeve to have some level of clarity that she had been missing for a long time. Finally, she responded. “Your right. I wouldn’t. Which is why I’m not staying and waiting for it to happen.” She turned and began walking to the door. Homelander sighed out loud.</p><p>“Are you really leaving?” He asked her, making her stop. “What do you think you can possible do?”</p><p>“Do some actual work. Not this PR bullshit we always do.” She turned to look at him. He met her gaze.</p><p>“I’m not officially letting you go. You’ll still be us, just privately grieving.”</p><p>“I don’t care what excuse you use. I still won’t come back.” With that she turned back around and left the meeting room for one last time.</p><p>She felt her phone vibrate, pulling it out and seeing that it was Elena. Hesitating, she ended up denying the call. With no conversation since she the murder, she had been avoiding her. She honestly doesn’t know what she has to say, for all she knows it could be exactly what she needed to hear. But no, she had to feel good about something. So she moved forward, hiding from sight and trying to find the building that she got from the kid. Relatively close to the docks, she peered out from the maze of alleys and spotted the building. She checked to see if anyone would notice her before walking out. She tried to find a way, debating which floor she should enter. Finding an old ladder, she figured she could use it long enough before the older thing broke under her. Leaning it up against the wall, she quickly crawled up and crawled her way through a window. Standing up, she slowly looked around. No obvious signs of anyone being here recently, she spotted some stairs, but they only went down. Moving forward after making sure no one was up here with her, she walked down the steps. When she looked out towards the main floor, she couldn’t believe who she was seeing.</p><p>“You’ve got to be shitting me.” Maeve said as she stared at Starlight and that other guy. She thinks his name is Hughie. Yea, that sounds right. He pointed a gun at her, but she saw him quickly realize that that was pretty much pointless. As she stepped down on the ground, she crossed her arms. “What the fuck are you doing here?”</p><p>“None of your business.” She responded back. She had pulled her hood down. “Did Homelander send you?” When she asked that, she curiously saw Maeve turned her head to the side and contemplate. When she turned back around, the glare was gone.</p><p>“I’m not with him or his team anymore.” She informed them.</p><p>“Bullshit.” Hughie said. “That interview, with that Flash guy, said you were grieving but still with them.”</p><p>“That’s just them making it seem like we were still a united team.” Maeve tried to take couple steps towards them, but Annie held up her hands, her eyes glowing. She looked back and forth between them. “Look, I’m not going to hand you over to Vought. Honestly, it seems like we are here for the same thing. Taking out this big bad gang boss.”</p><p>“How do we know that this isn’t just all one large elaborate set-up? Maybe there is no boss and Vought just hired a gang in the hopes to lure us out?” Hughie speculated.</p><p>“Because, if you had been paying attention to the places they have been hitting up, they have been stealing from Vought owned properties. Various chemicals and equipment.” Maeve saw the gears turn in both of their heads. But before they could speak, someone landed on the ground behind the two fugitives. Black Noir stood up straight, his face hidden, so it wouldn’t be revealed that he is surprised to see his former teammate. </p><p>“I knew it! A set-up!” Hughie turned his gun to Noir, Annie kept focused on Maeve. But the more she stared at her, the more she realized that Maeve was just as take off guard as they were by his presence. She finally started to feel like she might actually be telling the truth. “What do we do Annie?” Hughie asked as Noir began walking forward, holding a knife in his hand. But everyone froze and looked up as a hidden intercom system turned on and a voice greeted them from above.</p><p>“My oh my! If I had known I would be hosting, I would have made sure that the good carpet was out!” All four of them looked around, trying to locate any spot where the voice could be using this intercom system from. “Admittedly, I at first mistook tall dark and handsome for someone else that I know. So I am a little disappointed, but that doesn’t mean we still can’t have some fun! HAHAHAHAHAHA!” The laughter sent a shiver down Maeve’s spine, but she couldn’t figure out why. Then some lights turned on, keeping the far end of the room shrouded in darkness. But it was clear that someone was standing there.</p><p>Black Noir turned his attention away from Hughie and Annie, moving towards the far end of the building. Before he could make it too far though, the shrouded figure fired something at him. Noir caught it in his hand, some sort of large pad. But a light turned on and released green gas, quickly circling around and swallowing Noir’s head. He started coughing, kneeling over and dropping the now empty pod on the ground. Maeve moved towards him, but stopped when she heard. That laughter, but not from the hidden criminal. Noir was laughing, the first time she had ever heard him do that. It started low and quiet but quickly grew exponentially in sound. Maeve felt scared and frightened, to hear someone so silent and in control to now be laughing and falling to the ground felt unnatural. She finally forced herself to rush over once he was now on his back. Turning him over, she felt his body become still, his laughter gone. Bracing herself, she tried to take off his mask to try mouth to mouth. But as she soon as she saw the twisted smile on his face, the lack of light in his eyes, she put it back on, and covered her mouth. As she fought the urge to vomit, she looked up and saw the shooter step forward.</p><p>“Well, shoot. I was really hoping he would be more of a fighter.” The pale face of the man before her actually seemed sad to see Noir dead on the ground. His rocket launcher aimed towards the ground, held by gloved hands coming out of the sleeves of a purple suit. But then he smiled wide. “But that’s what you get for making me think you were someone else!” He let out another laugh, just as dark and unnerving as the first time.</p><p>“Wild shot in the dark.” Hughie whispered to Annie. “But I think this might be another other world guy.” All Annie could do was nod, frightened by the man in front of them, but still felt her eyes being towards him. Then they heard guns cocking and loading, as gang members stepped out from the shadows around them and aimed various weapons around them. Standing up Maeve, looked around. She started looking back from the two people behind her and to the man in front of her, trying to figure out which action would be the best one to go with. But before she could decide, someone made the decision for her.</p><p>Crashing through a window, someone landed on the ground, using some sort of staff to pull the feet out from under a couple of guys. Nearby shooters turned around and tried to shoot at the intruder. Hughie and Annie grounded themselves and used the confusion to move out and go after the others. Feeling confident that they needed no backup, she turned and glared at the purple suit man, lunging forward, angry and ready. </p><p>“Now would you look at that! A Bird flew right through the window!” Another laugh, before tossing his weapon to one of his gang members, who run back and outside somewhere. Pulling out a knife, he moved and dodged her blows for a while. “Gotta be quicker than that!” He taunted Maeve and smiled as he dodged, even as she did actually land a couple of punches. But that seemed to do nothing to change his mood. Crouching low, he squeezed his knife and picked a spot on the inside of one of her legs and stabbed. The blade pierced her skin, blood dripping out and down. Maeve yelled out loud, shocked and in pain. This can’t happen! It shouldn’t be…Her thoughts ceased as she fell to the ground and tried to stop the bleeding. Standing back up, he used a handkerchief to wipe his knife.</p><p>“I would love to play around some more, but I have a deadline to keep to! Ta-ta everybody!” With another laugh, he and a couple of his members escaped the building, heading to vehicles stashed behind the building to get away quickly. Hughie tried to catch his breath, checking to see how many bullets he had left. But he looked over and saw Annie go over to Maeve. He rushed to meet up with them, the new guy following as well. Annie was at Maeve’s side, the new guy getting in front of Maeve to take a look at the wound. Hughie got a good look at him now, wearing a mask that protected just his eyes, a black cape with a yellow inside, and a multi colored outfit. The torso was red, the pant legs green. There was the letter ‘R’ on his chest. Putting down his staff, he tore off a part of his cape and wrapped it around Maeve’s leg. She cringed in pain, still putting her hand on the wound to stop any more bleeding.</p><p>Looking up at the other two, the new guy responded quickly. “We need to get her to a hospital. It’s slowed down, but she is still bleeding.”</p><p>“I can’t” Maeve cried out loud. She had no idea what the consequences might be if the public found out she could be hurt. She had no idea what Homelander might do if he found out. Annie looked at her then up at Hughie. He knew what she was thinking.</p><p>“No, are you crazy?” Hughie said. “We can’t take her back!”</p><p>“I believe she was telling the truth!” Annie insisted. “She’s not going to turn us over to Homelander!”</p><p>“Guys, I don’t think we have time to take her to wherever your disagreeing about.” The new guy interrupted. “I think he hit a major artery. That or he got pretty damn close. If we move her, it has to be somewhere very close by or we move really fast!” Hughie put his hand to his forehead, overwhelmed and confused on what to do. Annie could only look at Maeve in worry. </p><p>But then in a flash of bright white light, all of them had to close their eyes. When they opened them, the new guy smiled and practically cheered out loud. Ultimately, Hughie had to agree with Annie seeing as how a hospital was not an option and they used the second new guy to get her out quickly.</p><p>******</p><p>Billy stared at the TV. Watching every news station, picking up on everything and anything that could be any clue. Frenchie was laid out on the couch, sleeping, while MM did some practice by himself, kicking and punching the air. All three of them jumped as they heard and saw blue lightning zip right into the lair, turning and heading down the hallway into the computer room and cot area. </p><p>“The bloody fuck is that?” Billy started to storm towards the same location, but MM got in his way, putting his hands up and against Billy. Frenchie looked up and joined them just as the blue lightning zipped right back out and left. “What does that fucking Supe going on back there?”</p><p>“Easy Billy! If he’s here, then it must mean that he is on our side.” Blue lightning dropped back in to deliver Hughie and Annie. But no one seemed to notice as Billy was revving up.</p><p>“On our side?” Billy repeated. “You mean like the blonde bitch that teleported Becca and the kid to who the fuck knows where?” MM let out a frustrated exhale, but Billy continued. “Like that yellow suited Supe that joined The Seven that even HE admitted was a villain from back on their planet?”</p><p>“Hey, where did…is Maeve back in there?” Annie pointed towards the hallway. Hughie closed his eyes and pinched his forehead, as Billy smiled and laughed for some reason. MM rubbed his face and Frenchie crossed his arms.</p><p>“Of course the bloody warrior queen is here!” Blue lightning came back in one more time, going down the hallway and seemingly staying there for now. “In fact, why don’t we invite Homelander here too? Eat some dinner, play some charades, and ask him to please stop being a cunt?” He then turned to look at Annie and Hughie. “And what has he been making you two blokes doing these past few days? Picking up his dry cleaning?”</p><p>“We were following something that might be connected.” Annie stared back at Butcher. Butcher picked up on the tone and glare that was being directed at him. Taking a few steps forward, Hughie felt the need to try and get in between them and say something.</p><p>“Not might, it definitely is!” Hughie told Butcher. “Some weird clown guy, he killed Noir and hurt Maeve. Ran into a couple of other guys that are here to help us.”</p><p>“And what about Pennywise?” Butcher countered. Hughie’s shoulder sagged and Billy nodded. “Just as I thought. Another one against us. And of course these other ones felt comfortable bringing Queen Maeve here. They all stick together, like indestructible cockroaches.”</p><p>“You better watch yourself!” Annie stepped forward, her eyes now glowing. The two of them stared in angry silence. Hughie, MM and Frenchie could only look at them, waiting for something to happen. But it looks like that whatever is about to happen, it would be directed to someone else. They heard a door close and the blonde man in the trench coat walked towards them, passing Batman’s car and lighting a cigarette. </p><p>“Looks like we’re getting ready to sing some campfire songs. Who has the marshmallows, it’s been ages since I had myself a s’more.” Billy walked away from Annie, going towards Constantine and knocking him right across the face. Hughie and MM rushed forward, trying to grab and pull Butcher away. Holding onto both of his arms, Constantine’s cigarette dropped onto the ground. His hand rubbed the part of his jaw that got punched. </p><p>“Where the fuck is my wife, you fucking prick!” Butcher yelled out.</p><p>“Last I heard, she and her kid joined a cross country travelling circus.” He looked up as his body straightened. “I don’t think your quite ready to settle down just yet.”</p><p>“Let me go so I can kill this motherfucker!” Billy struggled and squirmed, trying to break free and let loose. But before anyone could do or say anything, the door opened and they turned to see who found their lair now.</p><p>She had an outfit that resembled Maeve’s. Stepping forward, they all looked at her, not sure whether to calm down or go after her. Constantine turned around, seemingly no reaction on his face. He pointed to his left, towards the hallway. Nodding back at him, she turned and walked down the hallway, to meet some more familiar faces and to figure out just what exactly is going on.</p><p>******</p><p>Lex watched the news report. An update on some sort of new set of laws that Black Adam is implementing in Saudi Arabia. More rumors and speculation on how other nearby countries would respond, a lot of criticism being based on how it conflicts with the teachings of their religion. As he stared at the footage being shown that had Black Adam, he then saw the reflection of Thawne standing behind him.</p><p>“How is everything out there?” Luthor asked.</p><p>“Everything is moving as it should be.” Even with this update, Thawne didn’t seem to be in the smiling mood. Looking at him through the reflection of the screens, Luthor raised an eyebrow.</p><p>“Something on your mind Eobard?”</p><p>“Are you sure he will do what you expect him to? I’m not saying anything is physically stopping him, but he isn’t exactly the most stable guy.”</p><p>“Are you actually showing concern about someone’s mental health?” Luthor turned around, having no choice but to smile in amusement.</p><p>“I am when it concerns how it might ruin everything. I would rather not have him give me the same treatment as my predecessor.”</p><p>“You should be far more concerned about what I might do to you, assuming I do end up betraying you.”</p><p>“Don’t you worry Lex. I haven’t forgotten about you.” Thawne and Luthor held eye contact for a moment. But then he turned back around, picking up a little remote and bringing something up on one of the monitors. </p><p>“Have our associate aware that our timetable is being moved up. I’m sure that others from our world have been showing up and making their own plans. Not that they would succeed, but I would rather not take the risk and get things going as soon as possible.” He pulled up pictures and reports from back when Black Noir was thrown into Vought. His focus was drawn towards the batarang that was impaled in him.</p>
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